Well, today was the first time i was called for Jury Duty, and I was selected. I have never done it before and the paper they send to the house said most trials last 1-2 days. Well after we were selected, the Judge says the case is going to last 7 days. So i am pretty pissed off as I am missing work for at least 4 of those days which will leave me out of about 900 dollars in wages for missing work. But its OK they are paying me 40 dollars/ day. Plus on top of driving to Hammond from Portage... Which is about a 30 minute drive.
As I was sitting on the jury bench, I was hoping to not get picked, but answered questions truthfully. After I got picked I do feel a sense of pride for serving as a Jury since its my Civic Duty as a citizen.
EDIT: With lots of info:
End of Trial was today. We were instructed we had to be Unanimous of our decision.
The Trial was between the School Town of Munster and Joseph Hunt.
Joseph Hunt accused The School Town of Munster and 4 school officials that they had allowed Hazing to be carried out in the boys swim program while it didn't happen in the girls swim program.
The hazing he said to have happened was his freshman year (2010) at a swimmers house for a pre-sectional hair cutting and dyeing party held only by the team. He said was dragged into a bathroom and had his hair forcibly shaved against his will. This wasn't reported for over a year so about early Feb 2011.
His sophomore year, he didn't go to the same party as the previous year. So the next day at school 3 boys on the swimming team was alleged to have grabbed him and attempted to shave his head while being held horizontally about 3 feet in the air. He was able to wiggle free and fell to the ground. He alleged his back and neck have been injured since then which was Feb 2011 when the event occurred. He didn't see a medical professional about the incident for about 6 months after the event. He did see a doctor in between then to have a athletic physical done.
Here is an article from Friday in the NWI Times. Munster schools hazing trial continues | Northwest Indiana Crime and Court | nwitimes.com
The waterproof ointment that caused skin blisters is Icy Hot ointment for sore muscles.
Here is a case review that I believe the Judge or his assistants put together before the case ended up in trial.
J.H. v. SCHOOL TOWN OF MUNSTER by PHILIP P. SIMON, Chief District Judge | Leagle.com
There is more to this case, but most of the information is contained in the two links above. Take the NWI Times link with a grain of salt.
Like this paragraph is wrong in the article.
His head was attempted to be shaved, but the boys were unsuccessful in doing so.
The deliberation process wasn't quite as bad as I thought it might be. The judge did a great job outlining what the rules of laws were and how they were to be used in this case. Most of the jurors were basically on the same page. Took us about 2 hours to deliberate and get a verdict.
If you have any questions I would be happy to try to answer them to the best i can remember.
As I was sitting on the jury bench, I was hoping to not get picked, but answered questions truthfully. After I got picked I do feel a sense of pride for serving as a Jury since its my Civic Duty as a citizen.
EDIT: With lots of info:
End of Trial was today. We were instructed we had to be Unanimous of our decision.
The Trial was between the School Town of Munster and Joseph Hunt.
Joseph Hunt accused The School Town of Munster and 4 school officials that they had allowed Hazing to be carried out in the boys swim program while it didn't happen in the girls swim program.
The hazing he said to have happened was his freshman year (2010) at a swimmers house for a pre-sectional hair cutting and dyeing party held only by the team. He said was dragged into a bathroom and had his hair forcibly shaved against his will. This wasn't reported for over a year so about early Feb 2011.
His sophomore year, he didn't go to the same party as the previous year. So the next day at school 3 boys on the swimming team was alleged to have grabbed him and attempted to shave his head while being held horizontally about 3 feet in the air. He was able to wiggle free and fell to the ground. He alleged his back and neck have been injured since then which was Feb 2011 when the event occurred. He didn't see a medical professional about the incident for about 6 months after the event. He did see a doctor in between then to have a athletic physical done.
Here is an article from Friday in the NWI Times. Munster schools hazing trial continues | Northwest Indiana Crime and Court | nwitimes.com
Joseph Hunt described the types of hazing he experienced, including having his head forcibly shaved by another swim team member at a party in 2009 when he was a freshman; being struck with a plastic bat by swim team upperclassmen and being covered in a waterproof ointment that caused skin blistering.
The waterproof ointment that caused skin blisters is Icy Hot ointment for sore muscles.
Here is a case review that I believe the Judge or his assistants put together before the case ended up in trial.
J.H. v. SCHOOL TOWN OF MUNSTER by PHILIP P. SIMON, Chief District Judge | Leagle.com
PHILIP P. SIMON, Chief District Judge.
It's often been said that high school is the best four years of your life. But for one young man, Plaintiff J.H., high school was anything but. J.H. was a student at Munster High School and a member of the high school swim team during his Freshmen and Sophomore years. J.H. soon discovered, however, that hazing was rampant on the team and much of it was directed at him. After enduring this physical and emotional mistreatment for two years, J.H. ultimately quit the team and left Munster High School early. He brings this § 1983 action against both the school and various school officials in their individual and official capacities, for the following claims: discrimination based on gender under the Equal Protection Clause and Title IX; retaliation under the First Amendment; and a negligence claim under Indiana state law. Defendants now seek summary judgment on all claims. (DE 73.) For the reasons discussed in this Order, that motion will be GRANTED-IN-PART and DENIED-IN-PART.
There is more to this case, but most of the information is contained in the two links above. Take the NWI Times link with a grain of salt.
Like this paragraph is wrong in the article.
Another incident involved being picked up by an upperclassman in the school locker room and held 2 or 3 feet in the air while his head was shaved with clippers.
His head was attempted to be shaved, but the boys were unsuccessful in doing so.
The deliberation process wasn't quite as bad as I thought it might be. The judge did a great job outlining what the rules of laws were and how they were to be used in this case. Most of the jurors were basically on the same page. Took us about 2 hours to deliberate and get a verdict.
If you have any questions I would be happy to try to answer them to the best i can remember.
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